My daughter is really enjoying her degree course at the University of Ulster; she’s reading International Travel and Tourism and next year she has to go abroad on a placement for a whole year! This is such an exciting opportunity for her; she could work in any area of the tourism industry, hotel, holiday complex, resort, visitor information… but she has to find her placement herself, and although the University give some suggestions, really it is up to her!
So… where would be a great place for a twenty year-old to be for a year, away from the UK… somewhere which would not only be enjoyable and fun for her, but interesting and helpful in her personal and professional development. She wants to be somewhere safe, somewhere fairly accessible so she can have visitors from home, and get home if she needs to, so nowhere too remote or isolated. … somewhere interesting but safe, somewhere exciting but not dangerous, somewhere she will find friendliness and support…
Any suggestions?
Lois Elsden 
Lois, I know it’s a long way away but has she considered somewhere like Sydney or Melbourne? There are hotel schools in and around both areas and also Hilton, Intercontinetial chains etc.
If it’s resort sheis looking for there is Hamilton Island and very many others down the East Coast of the continent.
Also, New Caledonia and Fijihave interesting resorts, as does Vanuatu.
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Thank you, Don… I think she would love to… and we would love to visit her there! I’ll copy this and pass it to her; thanks so much for the suggestion!
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Hi Lois! I’d also recommend Aussie or NZ, but it’s REALLY FAR AWAY. I have to tell ya… spending 5 years there was quite a toll on my family, I missed funerals and all kinds because of it, you can’t just buy a ticket to come home if something happens, it’s two days travel away and it’s expensive. IF however that is of no concern to her, then I can definitely recommend it. Scandinavia would also be an option, most people there speak excellent English, however she’d probably have to try and find a company in a big city that gets a lot of foreign customers. I think it depends on her language skills. If she has a second language, I’d recommend her to take the opportunity to use it! 🙂
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I tried my hardest with both kids while they were at school to get them speaking other languages; she did a tiny bit of French and then Spanish – but such a watered down course that really she can only manage the basics… But thanks for your suggestions – I’ll pass them on to her… Scandinavia, mmm, I’d love that!
Thanks very much!!
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Also, it depends on her interests! What does she want to do further in her life? If she would like to work in a hotel, then I always tell my students that they should get as much experience as possible, as a degree won’t help you much when it comes to actually getting a job. And sadly that’s the way it is in much of the tourism industry… yes we have degrees now, but it doesn’t actually help the industry much. They’d rather have someone work at a hotel for 3 years than get a fresh puppy with a bachelor’s degree in tourism, expecting to enter the workforce at a middle-management level. And I can understand that critique very well! So tell her to seriously think about what she wants to do in the future, and try to get a placement that will put her in front of the rest of the horde when she finishes her degree. Since I’m working as a lecturer for bachelor students of tourism I have some experience with this sort of thing. 🙂
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You are definitely the person to advise her! Thanks for your comments. She is really practical and sensible and will always think round something before jumping in. She isn’t sure what she wants to do – and she knows it’s because she’s so lacking in experience of different sorts of tourism. She is really good with people, one of her strengths is her inter-personal skills; also she’s a really hard worker and will get stuck into anything, even a job she doesn’t enjoy, if she’s go to do it she will do her best. She really wanted to do two six month placements so she could see different types of work, but she has to do a year.
Thanks again for your help!! xxx
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Lois, your daughter sounds like the sort of person who would do well regardless of where she did her placement.
The advice and suggestions from Tina are clearly very well informed and logical.
Let us know what pathway she decides to take.
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I will do Don! She is a real Elsden with many of Dad’s characteristics, grit and determination a sense of humour and personality among them!
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